Auckland has spoken and decided to colour its future Brown. Len Brown.

The Manukau Mayor is now the Auckland Mayor-elect after early voting results today showed the man from South Auckland had a significant lead.

With around 95 percent of votes counted, Mr Brown had 221,167 votes to rival John Banks’ 161,167.

Independent runner Colin Craig was a distant third with a respectable 40,483.

Mr Brown addressed family, friends and supporters at the Sorrento function centre at One Tree Hill this afternoon after receiving a call from the returning officer stating he had won the election.

“I’m so proud to stand in front of you today and say that I am the mayor for all of Auckland,” he said.

He said the campaign had been long and tough and acknowledged the battle Mr Banks presented.

“John and I have give it our very best shot and have covered off all the concerns people could have about how we might and could go forward.”

Mr Banks called Mr Brown to concede defeat and offer congratulations.

“I’ve applauded his campaign and his efforts and I’ve given him my assurance that he had my total support as he goes ahead in this very difficult challenge of uniting the greater Auckland and being the first leader,” Mr Banks told media gathered at the Town Hall this afternoon.

“So well done to Mayor Len Brown.”

Mr Banks too said the campaign had been “a long, long road” but also said nothing had taken him by surpris

e. “We have been monitoring this for some time, of course wanted to win today, but it wasn’t meant to be.”

He also pointed to Colin Craig playing a factor in his defeat.

“We haven’t taken the chance to dissect this but we do note that another first class candidate in the race, Colin Craig, took 60,000 votes and we acknowledge that we acknowledge him this afternoon.

“But I’m not into going back over and ploughing old ground, because this is not my day, this is Len Brown’s day.”

(Source 3 News)